Key to My Heart
by 23a
Summary: Maya is used to living on her own. She's been doing it since she was 7, when her parents died and her little sister ran away. When Maya was 12, a dark curse took many people to a new land, and left her behind. Now she's 14, and a new curse brings her to that land. Maya meets people who she begins to care about, and starts to think that maybe she doesn't want to be alone anymore.
1. A Whole New World

Maya looked around. She had absolutely no idea where she was. She saw buildings, ones unlike any she had seen before. All around her, people milled. Maya was very disoriented, having just woken up in a place she'd never been before. She didn't even know what realm she was in, although it clearly was not the Enchanted Forest. Looking as far as she could, Maya saw a forest. Perfect. The woods were where she felt the most at home. She'd lived in the woods ever since her parents died when she was seven. At first, she'd lived there with her younger sister, Aryn, but Aryn had run away and left Maya alone. Maya was used to being alone by this point. She ran towards the woods and found a good tree, which she promptly climbed. She found a thick branch and lay down in it, thinking she could make this work. It appeared to be morning, and Maya realized she didn't know the date. Or the _year_. Something weird was going on. Maya marked her tree, and went back into town. She found a place that was serving food, and went inside. Under ordinary circumstances, Maya would just use her magic to conjure food, but she wasn't well trained in magic, and she didn't want to risk it in a whole new land. As she waited for an opportunity to steal some food, she eavesdropped on a couple of people - a very pregnant woman and a man.

"So, last we remember, Emma's leaving, and now, we're back in Storybrooke", the woman said.

"Yes", answered the man, "and obviously, time has passed."

"Oh yes", the woman said, patting her stomach, "I'd say about a year. But how did we get back here?"

"Must have been a new curse", the man replied. "Oh, our food's here."

Maya saw her chance, and snuck into the kitchen. Most of the food was unrecognizable to her, so she just grabbed some stuff and ran back to the woods, finding her tree. Once there, she pondered over what she had heard. She was in a place called Storybrooke, that she now knew. They said a year had passed, seemingly one they had forgotten. Which meant... a year had probably passed for her too. So she was 14 now. And the curse part... this must be the land without magic the Dark Curse had taken people to. She was one of the people who had stayed behind. Because she was a loner, Maya had not joined the refugee camp, and thus not been killed by Cora. So that's what had happened: the people who were cursed had come back for a year, and then been cursed again, taking everyone with them this time. And they'd all forgotten a year of their lives. Whatever. Now that she knew what was going on, Maya planned to go back to what she did best - surviving.

**...**

After a few days, Maya had become accustomed to this new town. She was actually liking it better than the Enchanted Forest - easier to steal food. She was just finishing up a meal when she heard someone running in her direction. She hopped down from her tree and ran to face them. It was a man, running very fast. He looked oddly familiar. He stopped when he saw her. "Maya?"

"Yes...", she answered, "Do I know you?"

"It's me, Baelfire."

"Bae?!"

Maya couldn't believe it. After her parents had died and her sister had run away, Maya had begun to feel alone, abandoned. That was when she had started to visit Neverland in her dreams. She had met Baelfire there, and they had become great friends, even though they had never met in person. He had really been in Neverland, and she hadn't. He had told her all about his life, and she him. Clearly, Bae had aged during the curse, for he was now a man. And he had escaped Neverland. Maya was so happy to see him, she almost cried. She hugged him, and then asked simply, "Bae, what's going on?"

"Honestly, Maya, I have no idea. And by the way, I go by Neal now."

"Neal. Got it."

Suddenly, Baelfire collapsed and began writhing in agony.

"Bae? Baelfire? Neal?"

He didn't respond to any of those names, but instead said, "Maya, run!"

And so she did.


	2. Old Friends and New

It had been a couple of weeks, and for the first time in years, Maya wasn't happy simply living in the woods. Something about this new land awakened old feelings in her, the desire not to be alone. She got down from her tree and walked until she reached the edge of the woods, and she came upon... a cemetery. Maya didn't like cemeteries. They stirred up painful memories, memories of her parent's funeral. Aryn, who had been just three at the time, hadn't really understood what was going on. But Maya had. She knew that her parents were lost to her forever. As she walked through the cemetery, Maya saw a gravestone with a name she recognized on it. Neal Cassidy. Neal. That was Baelfire. She remembered him telling her. And then... he had begun writhing on the ground in agony. And now... now he was dead. The only friend she'd ever really had. And for nearly thirty years, they'd been apart. And then they'd met again. But she'd lost him again, more permanently this time. Maya sat down on a rock and did something she hadn't allowed herself to do in seven years. She cried. And she realized that she was more alone now then ever before. After about a minute, Maya heard someone behind her.

"Hello?", came the voice of a young boy.

Maya wiped away her tears, unwilling to let the boy see her crying, and slowly turned around. He looked around twelve, with brown hair and hazel eyes. He was staring at her, and made her feel like he was boring into her soul.

"Hello", Maya replied simply.

"Who are you?", the boy asked inquisitively.

"My name is Maya and that is all I'm going to tell you."

"Nice to meet you, Maya. I'm Henry."

"Hi, Henry."

"What - what are you doing here?", asked Henry.

"That is none of your business", Maya replied.

"Actually, it is, because you're at my father's grave."

Maya whipped around, looking at the gravestone, and then she looked at Henry. He _did _look like Baelfire. "Your - your father?"

"Yes... did you know him?"

"As a matter of fact, Henry, I did. We were friends, over thirty years ago."

"Wasn't he here then, though?"

"No, Henry, he was in Neverland. And I visited him every night in my dreams." She smiled at the memory.

"Ok... but, why are you here, all alone? Where is your family?"

Maya's face darkened before she answered, "Gone."

Henry looked at her for a moment before saying, "Well... do you want to come and meet mine?"

Maya had no idea how to answer that. She'd been on her own for so long, she didn't really know how to be around people anymore. Baelfire was just about the only person she'd talked to the whole time. But she was willing to give it a chance. She didn't want to be alone anymore. "Alright", she answered.

**...**

Henry led Maya to a strange-looking tall building that he called an _apartment building _and up a flight of stairs to a door, which he promptly knocked on. A blonde woman answered the door.

"Henry, you're home early... and you brought a friend."

"Mom, this is Maya. She knew Dad."

The woman looked startled. "Uh... come in, Maya."

Maya tentatively followed Henry inside. The apartment was very small. Another woman with short dark hair came out holding an infant, and Maya recognized her as the woman she had seen when she first arrived in Storybrooke, talking to the man. "Emma, what's going on?", asked the woman.

"Um, this is Maya. Henry says she knew Neal."

The woman looked Maya over. "Nice to meet you, Maya."

Maya remained quiet. "This is my grandma", Henry explained, "We're living with her and my grandpa until we find our own place."

Maya simply nodded. "Maya, you haven't said a word", Emma noted.

"I'm not really a people person", Maya replied.

"I see. So, how did you know Neal?"

"We were friends", was all Maya said. She didn't feel like saying more. Emma seemed to understand, and changed the subject.

"Where are you from?"

"The Enchanted Forest."

"A little more specific?"

"The kingdom I lived in was ruled by Aurora and Phillip."

"Oh, so does that mean..."

"I didn't come with the first curse."

"Well then, welcome to Storybrooke", said the dark-haired woman.

"Thank you", Maya replied.

"So, where in town are you staying? I'm Snow, by the way."

"I'm staying in a tree in the woods. The woods are my home."

"What about your family?", asked Snow.

"I have no family", Maya replied. She got that look on her face, the one Maya hated. She hated when people felt sorry for her.

"Well, if you need a place to stay -", Snow began.

"Mom, no, we're full here", Emma interrupted.

"No, that's not what I meant", Snow said. "We should get her a room at Granny's."

"Oh. Okay."

Maya wasn't sure about that, but they were trying to be nice, so she decided to go along with it.

"She'll be at the diner now", said Emma. "Let's go there."

**...**

They walked into the building Maya had stolen food from before. An old woman was at the counter. They walked up, and Emma spoke.

"This is Maya, we'd like to get her a room."

The old woman looked her over. "Alone? She's just a kid."

"Yes. Alone", said Maya.

"Alright", said the woman, handing over a key. "Room 14. The bed and breakfast should be open, I'll send Ruby just in case. Ruby!"

While they worked that out, Maya glanced around the place - Emma had called it a diner. There were many people. As they were preparing to leave, a man and a woman entered.

"Oh, Maya, this is the perfect opportunity for you to meet Mr. Gold, and, uh, Mrs. Gold."

"You can call me Belle", the woman said, smiling.

"I'm Maya", said Maya.

"Nice to meet you, Maya. Say hello, Rumple."

That caught Maya's attention. "What did you call him?"

"Rumple", said Belle, confused.

"As in... Rumpelstiltskin?"

"You've heard of him, then?"

"Everyone has, Belle. But I've heard more than just the tall tales. I've heard the true story. The story of the man behind the monster."

"And how is that?", asked Rumpelstiltskin.

"Oh, right", said Emma. "She knew Neal."

Rumpelstiltskin suddenly looked at Maya and said, "Nice meeting you, Maya."

They walked out of the diner, Rumpelstiltskin still staring at Maya's retreating figure.


	3. Learning Something New

Maya didn't sleep very well that night. She couldn't stop thinking about the insane events that had happened that day. She'd found out about her only friend's death, met his son, and been introduced to his father, as well as many other strange people. Not that Maya really had a right to call anyone else strange, having lived in the woods for seven years. When morning came, Maya wanted to just stay in the room alone. Then Emma and Henry showed up.

"Hey", said Maya.

"Hi", Henry replied.

"So, Maya, how are you liking Storybrooke?"

"Fine. It's harder to use magic here, but I barely knew how to begin with, so..."

Emma looked startled. "You have magic?"

"I have it, but I don't really know how to use it."

"Well... how did you get magic?"

"I'm the product of true love", Maya answered.

"Really?"

"Yes. My mother Leana was princess of a far off kingdom, and my father just a commoner. They fell for each other, and ran away to a new kingdom to escape her controlling father and make a life together."

"...Wow. Anyway, you say you don't know how to use your magic?"

"No. Not yet."

"Would you like to learn?"

"I'd love to!"

"Great. I'd teach you, but I don't really know how. Maybe Regina can teach you?"

"The Evil Queen? No thanks."

"She's not evil anymore!", said Henry. "She's my mom."

"I thought Emma was your mom."

"Yeah, Emma's my birth mom, but Regina raised me."

"...Ok. Do you think she would teach me magic?", Maya asked.

"Perhaps."

**...**

"No."

"Oh, come on Regina."

"She's just a kid. She shouldn't have magic, anyway."

"But she does. And if she can't control it, it'll be bad."

"Ask Rumpelstiltskin. Goodbye."

Emma sighed, and she and Maya walked away, in the direction of Rumpelstiltskin's shop.

**...**

Maya stood rather awkwardly in the shop, as no one was there besides her and Emma. After a few moments, Belle stepped out of the back.

"Oh, hello, Emma, Maya", Belle greeted them. "Rumple, Emma is here with Maya."

Rumpelstiltskin stepped out.

"What is it, Miss Swan?"

"Can you teach Maya magic?"

He looked startled. "You have magic, Miss... do you have a last name?"

"Evaline", replied Maya, "And yes, I have magic."

"And how is that, Miss Evaline?"

"I'm the product of true love", Maya answered, hoping he wouldn't press for details, as she didn't want to retell the story.

"Very well. Come back here, and I will give you your first lesson."

Maya hesitantly followed him into the back of his shop, waving goodbye to Emma and Belle as she left. They then walked out into the woods, and Maya felt better being back in her element.

Rumpelstiltskin handed her a blindfold, which she put on, a little nervous.

"What do I do now?", she asked.

"Find me", he said.

"How?"

"Think of a memory that made you angry", he replied.

"Okay... one time this mean man cheated my Papa out of money and then tried to take me away."

"And use that anger to find me."

Maya did what he asked without much difficulty.

"Now what?", she asked afterwards.

"Think of a happy memory, to reign in your anger."

"Alright", said Maya, concentrating on the happiest memory she had.

"Out of curiosity", he asked, "What did you choose?"

"The happiest day of my life", Maya answered. "The day my sister was born."


	4. A Bit of a Dream

_"One time long ago... I could tell you... the things we had... the dreams we lived by... One time long ago... Oh if you could have known... All the things... That I lived by... Perhaps it was simply... Meant to be... That one day... I'd live by a new dream... And maybe you can't see... Just what you are to me... A dream... That I live by... A love... that I'd swear by... So much more than you appear... Because you are mine, my dear... You are a bit of a dream..."_

Maya woke up, her mother's words still playing in her head. Her mother would sing that song to her, and later to Aryn as well, every night. The last good memory Maya had of her was the night she had asked exactly what those words meant. The message was simple: Love is a dream, my love for you is the best dream of all. The last night she would ever live in that house. Had she known that at the time, she would have held on to her mother's message even tighter. But she hadn't, had no way of knowing. Knowing that the very next day, her entire life would crumble before her eyes. She had to move on now, though. She couldn't spend all her time dwelling on the past. The words of the song rang clear in her mind: _You are a bit of a dream. _A bit. She hadn't been everything. She couldn't be. And her old life was now just a memory, her mind latching on to the words again. A bit of a dream. She had to find a new dream, whether it be love, or something else. Because she couldn't simply live with only a past to haunt her, only memories of a life she could no longer live. She had to find her dream, latch on to a bit and never let it go. And she really had to get out of bed. It was nearly eleven.

* * *

She had been in town for a week, and learned quite a bit about how this world operated. She was learning more magic every day, Rumpelstiltskin saying she was one of the best students he'd ever had. She had continued her friendship with Henry. He was quite a bit like Baelfire, but also very much like his mother, Emma, who Maya found to be quite a bit like herself. Henry was always talking about the curse, his family history, etc. He had quite a bit of family history, and a very complicated family. Just thinking about it made Maya's head hurt. Trying to make sense of it had led to a swirling mass of names in her head, Rumpelstiltskin, Regina, Eva, Leopold, Ruth, Snow, Milah, Belle. The whole thing was so confusing. Maya's family had always been simple, just her, her mother, Leana, her father, William, and Aryn, with the occasional visit from her paternal grandparents. Maya also realized that Henry was heir to several thrones in the Enchanted Forest. Although her mother's parents had disowned her, technically, with her mother dead, Maya was the rightful heir to the throne. Neither she nor Henry actually had any inkling of royal life, but both could technically at any moment become king or queen. Henry had never even been to the Enchanted Forest, and was constantly asking Maya about what it was like there. She could mostly just describe the woods, but she told what she could of her vague memories in her life before, trips to the beach, long walks in the village, the local school. Henry's curiosity knew no limits, and he even wanted to know about things like what she learned in school, where she said, "Well, in part, your family history." She had, of course, learned other things, other history, but also math, reading, writing, art. Never science. That was something no one in the Enchanted Forest knew, and she had been excited to learn about it from Henry. But his questions had ventured into more personal matters, and he asked a question she had been dreading.

"What was your family like?"

She wasn't exactly sure what to answer with, was silent for a moment before replying, "My mother... she was so nice. She liked everyone, and everyone liked her. And she was really smart, and loved to read. I don't think I ever saw her without a book in her hand. She said that books were a way of living adventures she would never actually get to live. She talked about traveling the world, of seeing it, all of it. But she couldn't, because she worked really hard at home, and she had a family to stick with, anyway. And even though she was nice, if you said anything mean to her, or especially to anyone in our family, she would get so angry, and she even scared a pirate away once." Maya smiled at the memory. "And my father... he wasn't the most tough, but he was fiercely loyal to our family and would fight for what he believed in. He was great at solving mysteries, and he would also make up great stories that he would tell us at night." She went on, memories flooding back to her now. "And my sister, Aryn... she wasn't even 4 yet when we were separated. But she was the sweetest little girl ever, and she was so curious. She wanted to know everything, and she said that I was the best big sister ever and that we had a special love that would never be torn apart." Her tone grew quieter. "Didn't stop her from running away, though."

Henry didn't press for details, a first, instead said, "They seem really great."

Maya smiled again. "They were."

Maya thought again about the lyrics of the song, about what she had promised herself she would do. Find a dream. And she thought she had it. She looked across the table at Granny's, right at Henry, and asked a question she had never asked before.

"Henry, will you go on a date with me?"

He looked at her for a while, a smile spreading across his face. "Yes."


End file.
